Gravel separator and scrubber



May 27, 1958 E. JOHNSON @RAVEL sEPARAToR AND scRUBBER 2 Sheets-Shea*l lFiled May 16, 1955 A KP IN VEN TOR.

d TT/Q/VEV y May 27, 1958 E. JOHNSON GRAVEL SEPARATOR AND scRuBBER 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 16, 1955 INVENTOR. Y "z/S faH/vsa/v Afro/QA/EVUnited tates Patent O F GRAVEL SEPARATOR AND SCRUBBER Ellis Johnson,Long Branch, N. l.

Application May 16, 1955, Serial No. 508,713

9 Claims. (Cl. 269-270) This invention relates to a gravel separatingdevice and and more particularly to a pair of rotating drums into whichthe gravel, clay and sand mixture are conveyed with a water jet. Themixture is thoroughly agitated to disintegrate and separate the mixtureand in which the mixture will be worked back from the gravity end ofeach rotating drum to be screened and separated.

In the normal procedure of screening or separating gravel from theingredients with which it is found in a natural state, the mixture isloaded into either a rotating drum that is tilted to allow the mixtureto feed towards the gravity end of said drum while being vibrated orstirred during the rotation of the drum. This method will tend to breakup the clay from the solids and assist in washing out the clay from thesolids, the mixture being discharged from the gravity end of therotating drum. However this method, unless carried over a great length,will not provide a clean separated and graded gravel.

Itis an object of this invention to provide a continuously operatedapparatus which will thoroughly clean the natural clay, sand, gravelformation and screen and separate the elements into a clean properlygraded sand and gravel.

A further object of his invention is to provide a continuously operatedapparatus in which the sand, clay, gravel mixture is jetted into theapparatus with a stream of water and in which the water mixture isreceived in a rotating drum with a plurality of blades to thoroughlybreak up the mixture and in which the drum is tilted so that the claywill be washed out of the higher portion of the drum with the action orow of the water and in which the heavier particles will back up withinthe drum to be discharged into a second drum for a similar operation.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a gravel, clay,sand mixture separating apparatus that is continuously operated and inwhich a pair of rotating drums are provided in which the first drum istilted with the lower end closed to receive the sand, gravel, claymixture and the upper end open and provided with a screening device andin which the second drum is similarly tilted with the lower end closedto receive the gravel mixture and the upper end open and provided withgrading screens to properly grade the gravel as it leaves the secondrotating drum.

Other objects of this invention shall be apparent by reference to theaccompanying detailed description and the drawings in which Fig. 1 is anelevational view of the apparatus partly l Y, 2,836,299 j Patented May27, 1958 Referring to Fig. l there is illustrated a gravel washing,scrubbing and sieving apparatus which includes a pair of rotatable drums10 and 11 that are positioned adjacent to each other. Drum 10 includes adrive shaft 12 which is axed to the center of the closed end wall 14 ofdrum 10. Drum 10 at its opposite end is provided with a cylinder screen15 attached to the end 16 of drum 10 with the opposite end open. Screen15 is approximately a SAG mesh. Drum 10 is mounted to rest upon a pairof rollers 18 positioned in spaced relationship to support drum 10 yetpermit drum 10 to rotate on the rollers, the third support for drum 10being the drive shaft 12, drive shaft 12 being supported in a bearing19, the bearing in turn being mounted in a standard 20. The rollers 18are also rotatably supported in standards 21. Drive shaft 12 is providedwith a gear 22 affixed to shaft 12, the gear 22 meshing with a smallpinion gear 23, pinion gear 23 being carried by a shaft 24, shaft 24 inturn being carried by a pair of pivotally supported arms 25 and 26, the

arms 2S and 26 being pivoted on the drive shaft 12. The pinion gear 23is keyed to shaft 24 and shaft 24 is provided with a drive pulley 28.Thus it is apparent that a belt drive may be provided to the pulley 28which will in turn transmit the drive force by means of shaft 24 andpinion 23 to the drive gear 22 and in turn drive shaft 12 to rotate drum10. The preferred rotative speed is approximately l2 R. P. M. Drum lilon its internal surface is provided with a plurality of blades. The endwall 14 as illustrated in Fig. 2 illustrates the plurality of bladesused to pick up and stir the contents of the drum. Fig. l alsoillustrates an elongation of some of the blades for the full length ofthe drum to insure a thorough stirring or agitating action and to assistin picking up the gravel and mixture from the bottom of the drum duringits rotation.

g The second drum 11 is similar in construction to the tirst drum, thatis, it is provided with a similar end wall 14A and drive shaft 12A andexactly the same type of drive mechanism. Drum 11 is similarly supportedon a pair of rollers 18A. Drum 11 is similarly provided with a rotaryscreen 15A at one end thereof. However screen 15A is divided into threedifferent size mesh sections, that is, the rst mesh area adjacent to thedrum is a 1A" grit screen, the second portion of the screen is a 3/smesh and the outer area of the screen is a mesh. Any gravel of a largersize than Ss will be dumped out of the open end and is consideredoverflow. it is to be noted that both drums 10 and 11 are mounted in atilted relation, that is, with the closed end of the drum lower than theopen or screened end of the drum. It is also to be noted that the open3%16" mesh screen end of drum 10 is postioned adjacent to the openscreened end of drum 11. A material carrying chute 30 is provided ofsuch a length that it extends from within drum 10 adjacent to the closedend to a position above drum 11, the enlarged open end of chute 30 beingin a position where it may be easily loaded such as by a conveyor belt31. The conveyor belt is not a part of this invention. The conveyor beltis a standard type of loading device for material. The chute 30 at itsopen or mouth end is provided with a water n nozzle 32. The nozzle isdirected down into the chute 30 so that when gravel, sand and clay as amixture is dumped into the mouth'of chute 30, a stream of water fromspout32 will assist in washing the material downward through the chuteinto the drum 10 where the mixture will be thoroughly agitated and therotation of the drum will break up this Amaterial assisting the water indissolving the clay from'the mixture. The water and clay mixture willoveriow from the open end of the drum while the sand Yand gravelcontinues to build up within drum 10. As drum 10v becomes tilled withthe mixture, it will back up toward the open end of the drum and thewashed aggregate will fall into the screen area. The

assegna Y iinerparticles such as sand will be sieved outof this ruix-Y iturev passing through the screen. For convenience a box Y 34, may beYprovided under; thescreen area. The water end of the drum. Thus .theVgravel mixture'that backs up in` drurnl() and passes through the smallscreen area of Y drum will be Vdumped into chute 36. '.Avwater jet or!spout3'7 is'provided at .the upper ormouth lend ,35 of chutev35Y toassistin washing thegravel rixturedownV through vchute 36l intofdrum.11, the gravel entering drumv '11. will beV thoroughly Vscrubbed indrum klldueto the Y rotation of drum 11 atan approximate speedrof l2 R.AP;

M. and the action of the water. Y The blades within drum 11Vwillcontinuouslylift and agitate the mixture'therein' picking up the heavierparticles lifting them and in turn Y dropping them onlthe mixture untilthe mixture or gravel therein builds up suicientlyto back up in drum V11away` from the closed end and ove'row into the screen area. Y Thesmaller particles of gravel that will .pass through'a 1A vscreen will bedeposite'dfas illustrated `in FigjV 4linto the rst hoppery 40. i The`larger particles of gravel Vthat will pass through a screen will bedeposited into the second hopper 41 and the larger particles of gravel.that

Vwill pass through a screen willbe-depositedinto the last. hopper '42.Any particle ofv gravel greater than 5/3'.

is considered overow and will in turn be dumped outy the open end ofthelast screen. Drumrll). andidrum 11.

are both provided with drip yrings 43 and 44.- It' isl ap parent thatthe dripring 431is Ymounted at the -openendV of drum 16 toprevent'thewater overowing from drum l)k from running down towards thelower end of drum 10.v This would carry the clay andwater back on thebearings VV18, whereas it is. intended to` dump theA clay and water intobox 34.y Likewiserthe drip ring '44 is positioned ,atV the open end ofdrum .11 on itsexterior fora.

similar purpose. In operation, gravel, sand and clay are loaded by meansof a conveyor belt into chute 3i) and jetted through chutel) into drum10 where the mixture is not onlyvwashed toV dissolve the clay but thelarger down to a fairly clean aggregate andas the mixture passes throughscreen itwillj have-all of thesand removedV therefrom. YThe gravelleaving screen15- and entering-V chute'36 willbe jetted downchuteintodrum .11;and

will be thoroughly scrubbed in drum 11. The resulting` clean. aggregatewill in Yturube screened .through the appropriate sized Vscreens at theopen end of drum 11 `thus sorting or classifying the gravel into threegroups accordingto size. v

Referringto Fig. 5 it is apparent that either drum 10 or drum V11 maybepositioned in a perfectly level position;

and still etectively'clean the gravel mixture. Infact the level positionwouldprobably increase the output Vof i However `the tilted positionillustrated in Fig, Y l is provided to insure Va clean mix from'therstchargeV the device.

ofgravel makingit impossible to dump any gravelthat has not beenthoroughly scrubbed; j

The mixture wil1,.

Vparticles .being 4lifted `aud dropped tend tov break up the, 'clumps4of clay found inthe mixture. l

because of its agitation by drum 10, be thoroughlybroken..

ing of all sand frornthe'rnixture. mixture a small area may besufficient. )Likewise with the screened areas ofdrum 11,*ifthe aggregateis a fairly :even mix, the three' areas may be in Vsimilar.'proportions.` Whereas if the aggregate runs towards the heavierforlarger size, the smaller screens may be reduced in'length. However the`screened area may be varied tofaccommodate the particular needs inuse.VAlthough onertype of drive is illustratedsfor each drum, it is apparentthat motors may be mounted at the end of each drumV or any other type ofdrive to" produce a fairly'slovvR. P. M. drive. Although the drums Y,areillustrated Vas beingsupported by a three point'suspension they may besimilarly mounted on four or more'point suspensionv wtihoutfdepartingfrom the spirit of this invention. Although the drums are illustrated asbeing loaded by a pair of` chutes they may he similarly loaded withconveyor/belts without departing romfthespirit of lthis invention asvlong .as the drums arefloaded with thepmixture and a water `jettorproducei: the. necessary Vscrubbingand dissolving ofthe'V` clay, and:foreign matterv fromk theV gravel. Various changes may be; made in the.coniguration of the blades ,or stirring surfaces; without departingfromV the spirit of this invention and invention shall be `limited onlyby the appended claims.l I

. What is vclaimed is: Y Y

l; Anapparatus for'separating gravel from itscnatural; clay andfsandformation which includes an inclined feed'- ingchutepwithga water-.jetat the upper Vend of s'aid'chute; to assistzinwashing andy pushing saidgravel formation. through the chute, a'rotatable drum into which Vthechute: extends, said rotatable drum beingclosed atone endyandf.providedgwith a Vseparatingscreeny at the oppositeend,i said drumsupported onY rollers and saiddrurn provided: withmeans` to irotate saiddrum; the closed end andinrier;` peripheryof'said drum provided withV aplurality; of: blades,Y said chute. extending toa point adjacent'to.;the lower portion of said drum and adjacent tothe closed end.

- 2. '.In axdevice according toclaim l in which the isinclined with the.closed end Orsai-d drumelowerV than@ the open end of said drum. 1 Y Y3; .ln a device adeviceaccording to claim l inwhicha Vdrip Aringaffixed. to the outer periphery iofthe drum` adjacent to the openend ofsaid drum to which the separ` Y rating screen is attached. .Y Y

4. Anapparatustfor separatingpgravel from its .naturalL clay and, sand:formationand tltorrnighlyv scrubbing rsaidl.

gravel Ywhichinchides an inclined feeding chute Witlra;

waterjet vat the upper end of saidchuteto assist in wash?.`

cent to theclosed end, a second chute inclinedintosaidf. Y

second drum and positioned withits open orrmouthfendl adjacent totheopen .end oft.saidiirst drulrh'saidsecond;v

chute extending intoV saidsecond drum to a pointzadjal.

Y cent tothe lower portion'ofsaiddrum and adjacent. to.

VAlthough, exact sizeof the drum 10V and drum 11 is not f important, itis apparent that'the device may bermade quite largeto handleaV Ylarge`quantity Vof material. Al-

, though the screened ends of 'the drums are illustrated to define theinvention, thesiz'e orl length' of the screened areas maybejvariedaccordingjto the mixturebeing han-v died, that is, withaemixturek havingV considerable sand" Vand clay in same it maybenecessary to :provide a'fairly'Y large 3/{16} mesh screen-areato'insurea thoroughscreen drumis'inclinedWith the closedend' ofsaiddrum lower fthan the open end of said'drum. Y n g Y V6. In a 'deviceaccordingto-claim5-'4'1in"whichthest drum is inclined withthe closed endof said drurrrlower than theopen*end-of-saidcdrumA andin'whicli' saidsecond Whereaswith acleaner "i chute to carry said lgraveltrinto,

drum is also inclined in an opposite direction with the closed end ofsaid drum lower than the open end of said drum.

7. ln a device according to claim 4 in which a drip ring is aiiixed tothe outer periphery of said rst drum adjacent to the open end of saiddrum to which the separating screen is attached and in which a seconddrip ring is afxed to the outer periphery of said second drum adjacentto the open end of said drum to which the separating screen is attached.

8. An apparatus for separating gravel from its natural clay and sandformation and thoroughly scrubbing said gravel which includes aninclined :feeding chute with a water jet at the upper end of said chuteto assist in washing said gravel formation through the chute, a rotatingdrum, said drum being closed at one end and provided with a separatingscreen at the opposite end, said drum supported on rollers and providedwith means to rotate said drum, the closed end and inner periphery ofsaid drum provided with a plurality of blades, said chute extending to apoint adjacent to the lower portion of said drum and adjacent to theclosed end and in which the separating screen alixed to said drum isdivided into a plurality of different screens.

9. In a device according to claim 8 in which the drum is inclined withthe closed end of said drum lower than the open end of said drum.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS211,893 Duhem Feb. 4, 1879 1,942,238 Chambers Jan. 2, 1934 2,131,260Temple Jan. 12, 1938 2,174,836 Range Oct. 3, 1939 Y 2,249,109 BotimerJuly l5, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 15,727 Great Britain of 1896

